Court notices on Ratanmala rape and murder case
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, October 04 2013 : Manipur High Court today issued a notice of motion in respect of the writ petition field by mother of Rajkumari Ratanmala Devi, who was allegedly raped and murdered by one Soibam Dhanabir Singh on the intervening night of January 29 and 30, 2010 .

Invoking provisions under Article 21 of the Constitution of India, the mother filed the writ petition under the initiative of Human Rights Law Network (Manipur) to seek intervention of the High Court so so to provide the mother of the deceased victim the right of speedy and timely investigation and submission of charge sheet for initiation of prompt trial.

According to a statement issued by Durector iof Human Rights Law Network Meihoubam Rakesh, the brutal murder of RK Ratanmala after being raped had shaken the conscious of the society at large and the accused person identified as Soibam Dhanabir ingh even admitted his involvement in the crime by surrendering himself voluntarily before the then Director General of Police of Manipur as well as in his subsequent confessional statement given before the judicial magistrate.

The officer in-charge of Singjamei PS had registered an FIR case on the basis of the written report submitted by the elder brother of the deceased victim and the investigation was set into motion.

However, despite the incident happening 3 years back, the investigation agency has so far failed to file its charge sheet for initiation of trial against the person involved in the crime.

Due to the failure of submitting the charge-sheet within the stipulated period of time, the accused has been already released on bail.

So, the writ petition has been filed to look into the lapses on the part of the investigating agency.

After hearing the submission made by Sagolsem Shubharani, the Counsel of the petitioner, in the high court today, Justice N Kotiswar Singh issued the notice of motion to the respondents.

The respondents included the State of Manipur through the Principal Secretary (Home), the Director General of Police (DGP) and Thokchom Vikramjit Singh, MPS, Sub-divisional Police Officer.

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